Arthur Morry
Arthur Morry was the son of John Morry, blacksmith and Emma Mytton, his birth being registered Jan-March 1854 at Oswestry. In 1871 he was an architect’s articled pupil. Given that he was still recorded at his parents’ home at Morton, the architect was probably W H Spaull of Oswestry. Certainly, he was employed by Spaull as clerk of works at Aberdovey in 1874-1876.
Arthur Morry moved to Manchester and set up in practice on his own account about 1876. Here he took a deep interest in political, municipal and social matters, and became well-known amongst the Primitive Methodists and temperance reformers. In correspondence, Morry stated that he had “a residence of ten years in that city (Manchester) prior to 1884, engaged in the practice of architecture, and in carrying out various sanitary reforms.” [Brisbane Courier 18 June 1885 page 6 - letter to editor]. His wife’s health forced him to abandon a fast-increasing and lucrative practice in his profession and seek a milder climate. They sailed from Plymouth to Cooktown Australia, on the “Duke of Buckingham,” arriving on 27 January 1884. Within four years of his landing in the colony he was elected an alderman of the Town Council, when in January 1888, the Borough of South Brisbane was proclaimed and a few weeks later the first Council was elected. In 1890 Arthur Morry became the mayor of South Brisbane for a term and later represented South Brisbane in the Legislative Assembly.
With his brother-in-law Edward Wells Russell (1863-1887), he initially found work in the office of FDG Stanley, in Brisbane. About 1886 he entered into a brief and unsuccessful partnership with Dart as building contractors. He was practicing on his own account by 1888. As from 1 July 1899 he was appointed Inspector of Works, in the Public Works Department and he joined the Department of Agriculture as architect and surveyor. After his retirement in 1919 he was elected a member of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Previously he had designed and constructed the water filters at the Enoggera reservoir. He took a keen interest in the search for oil in Queensland, particularly in the Wacol area.
In 1935, he was a member of a a syndicate which applied for a gold mining lease in Daisy Hill Forest. Morry’s method of searching for gold was by divining, holding a forked stick which is supposed to bend when it passes over underground deposits. Divining is usually associated with looking for water, but Morry believed it would help him find gold at Daisy Hill. A lease was granted near the forest s southern boundary. Work started in July 1934 and the first shaft was dug to 200 feet, reputedly lined with timber cut from the forest. From this depth, the shaft was drilled down to a depth of 425 feet. A second exploration hole was then dug to 626 feet.
Arthur Morry was married three times. On 22 October 1874 at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Ludlow, he married Mary, the second daughter of William Russell, builder and contractor, Ludlow. She died on 7 February 1879 at Moss Side, Manchester. In October 1879 he married her sister, Emma Russell (1861-1899) at Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. On 30 April 1900 he married Mina Maurer at Brisbane. Seemingly no gold was found.
Arthur Morry died on 25 May 1938. The funeral was held at West End Methodist Church, prior to burial at the South Brisbane Cemetery. He had been a lay reader of the Methodist Church for 65 years.
Address
1878-1880 : Arthur Murry St Peter’s Chambers 3 St Peter's Square, Manchester
1881-1883 : Arthur Morry, architect & surveyor, 43 Meadow Street Moss Side (Census)
1883: Arthur Morry, architect & surveyor, 43 Meadow Street Moss Side (Slater Trades)
1890: Arthur Morry, Stanley Street Brisbane
1892: Arthur Morry Melbourne Street Brisbane
Residence
1874-1876 : Aberystwyth
1877-1883 : Arthur Morry, architect & surveyor, 43 Meadow Street Moss Side
1885 : Nassagaweya, 37 Gray Road, West End, Brisbane
1899-1928 : Brereton Street, West End, Brisbane
Reference: Aberystwyth Observer 31 October 1874 page 4].
Reference: Manchester Guardian 19 March 1890 page 8
Reference: Brisbane Courier 13 January 1900
Reference: Jubilee History of Queensland, 1910
Obituary: Courier Mail Brisbane Thursday 26 May 1938 page 2
